Final Project: Re-imagining Schools
How can we change schools to help kids learn?
What's wrong with our current schools?
Our current schools are not fostering enough creativity and collaborative learning. The school environment can be too stressful for students and teachers alike. We are still using the same system that we used 100+ years ago in schools. Don't you think it is time for a change?
RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms
What should new schools look like?
Schools should be places of calm, creativity, and understanding. Students should respect each other and themselves by contributing to the learning environment. We must get kids involved in education once again by teaching them what they need to know for right now and for the future, and not teach to the test. Charter schools like the Kipp Academy and Uncommon Schools give their students a tremendous education by preparing them not only for college, but for college graduation, by encouraging, leading, and promoting continuous learning.
Using Yoga in Schools: Beneficial?
Some schools have started a yoga program with their students, led by teachers, to try to cut down on stress and bickering in the classroom and to extend the students attention spans. This has been outlawed by some schools because of "religious references" but other schools have taken all of the religious references out of yoga in order to use it in their classrooms. Check out the link and video below about two schools that are incorporating yoga into their classrooms.
The Early Show - Yoga in school showing results, officials say
Involving Students in Education
How can we involve students in their education? By making it relatable to students! Students are constantly on the move, using technology and being social with friends. Our current schools are constantly fighting students to make them focus and stay off of their phones, computers, and iPads and pay attention to the lesson. Teachers need to incorporate cell phones, computers, and iPads into lessons to show students how to learn in a 21st Century sort of way. Below are examples of three teachers who incorporate technology and the students' lives into their lessons.
Schools of the Future
My hope is that schools in the future will look completely different than schools do now. Classrooms will be comfortable for students, teachers will learn alongside the students, and the students will look forward to attending school.